Greetings!
This afternoon we wrote from a list ideas for college application essays. All of these beginning-of-class writing activities help the students to quickly look at a topic, analyze it, and organize it into an essay. Our vocabulary words came from the end of the alphabet: zenith, zeal, wily, whimsical, watershed, warrant, wane, and wanderlust.
The rough drafts for their research papers were due today. The students are in various places in their research and writing. We talked individually about each student's progress, especially looking for ways to help one another. A couple of students are having trouble finding enough information. We discussed other areas they could research so that they can expand their papers.
We continue to discuss ways in which the students can present their information. Analytical writing includes the following styles for organization: process, comparison/contrast, classification, extended definition, cause/effect, problem/solution, and evaluation.
The students are to hand in their rough drafts via e-mail before Saturday. Besides going over them myself, I will send each student another student's paper. The students will perform a "peer edit," looking for ways the students could expand their papers, any rearranging or changing the organization, and marking any obvious sentence problems.
Continue to encourage your students to "keep going." They expressed a common difficulty in finding time and staying focused on the work. I think they're doing a good job and working hard. I'm looking forward to reading the rough drafts so that we have something specific to work on.
Bless you week. Now that the weather is turning cold, we'll have to pull out jackets, sweatshirts, and possibly mittens.
Mrs. Prichard
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